“The value of theatre lies in the idea of ‘play’. It is the concept of ‘play’ which is common to all theatre, from a main-house production of the ‘play’ King Lear, through site-specific performance art, to the most basic of improvisations,” says The Social Impact Study of UK Theater by Dr. Bill McDonnell, Professor Dominic Shellard of the University of Sheffield. They go on to say, “It is this flexibility which allows us to use theatre to help address social problems, promote cross-cultural understanding or celebrate community life.” Twin Cities performing artists in particular have a history of using theater’s extreme flexibility to transport people to worlds apart as a tool for achieving community equity and social change.

This Monday we want take an in-depth look at the Twin Cities independent theater scene as a whole. We’ll talk about how Twin Cities theater doesn’t just reflect or satire society, it shapes it. How exactly are Twin Cities artists using performance art to build community? What can access to theater offer communities that nothing else can?

TTT’s ANDY DRISCOLL and MICHELLE ALIMORADI will ask all these questions and more of our panelists this week on TruthToTell.

Playlist Tracks:

Guest:

PATRICK SCULLY

Title:

openly gay HIV+ performance artist, founder, Patrick's Cabaret

Guest:

ESTER OURAY

Title:

Independent teaching and performing artist, associate artist with In the Heart of the Beast Theatre